Golden end to

By Bridget Brady
ALLISON Van Beers is celebrating a successful 2008, which was topped off in December when she received a prestigious Duke of Edinburgh award.
Ms Van Beers, 18, received The Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award on 11 December at Government House.
The Lyndhurst resident, who plays piano and flute, said it was the perfect end to the year.
“There were plenty of challenges and it was a busy year, but it was a good way to finish Year 12,” she said.
Ms Van Beers was the school captain at St Margaret’s School in Berwick last year, a responsibility she said contributed to her award credentials.
To obtain her gold award, Ms Van Beers completed five key activities during a minimum of 18 months. The activities included developing a skill, completing an adventurous journey, volunteer service to the community, dedication to physical recreation and completion of a residential project. She started The Duke of Edinburgh when she was in Year 9.
In achieving her award, Ms Van Beers volunteered at a nursing home, studied music, travelled to Thailand, and worked at the orphanage Agape Home in New Caledonia.
“It was an eye-opener. The trek I did in Thailand was extremely hard and when I was climbing up the hill I questioned the need to do The Duke of Edinburgh but it all paid off in the end.
“Different aspects did push me out of my comfort zone.”
Ms Van Beers said her interests and day-to-day activities complemented the requirements of the gold award, making it easier for her to complete it.
“Over the four years of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award I was quite fortunate in that a lot of its aspects were already at my finger tips, so it wasn’t really that arduous in the end.
“My Duke of Edinburgh experience left me in no way bereft of opportunity, enjoyment or challenge.”
Ms Van Beers said she was very pleased with her VCE results and hoped to study Arts/Media Communication at Melbourne University this year.